EV Group Enters into Two-Year Cooperation Agreement with Institute of Microelectronics in Singapore

Published on June 14, 2010 at 7:04 AM

EV Group (EVG), a leading
supplier of wafer bonding and lithography equipment for the MEMS, nanotechnology
and semiconductor markets, and the Institute of Microelectronics (IME), a research
institute of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), today
announced that they have entered into a two-year cooperation agreement to advance
3D IC integration technologies.

This joint development is set to establish a 3D IC research and development
line at IME's facility in Singapore using EVG's wafer bonding, alignment and
lithography systems for 200- and 300-mm through silicon via (TSV) process development.
As part of the agreement, EVG will provide IME with process engineering support
and access to its demo lab in Austria, while IME will serve as a process hub
for EVG's Asia-Pacific customer base.

With this agreement, IME augments its TSV processing capabilities by adding
several new EVG systems, including an EVG101 spin and spray coater, an EVG805
semi-automated de-bonder, and an EVG301 wafer cleaner. These systems join the
EVG520IS permanent wafer bonder and EVG640 bond aligner already at the facility
to enhance IME's 200-mm wafer bonding, mask and bond alignment capabilities
for 3D chip stacking.

"As a part of IME's commitment to accelerating the research and development
toward 3D IC, we are constantly evaluating equipment on the market that fulfill
our process technology objectives," said Dr. Patrick Lo, deputy executive
director. "Based on the evaluation results and effective technology support,
EV Group is one of our equipment partners of choice as we continue to expand
our research and development capabilities. The flexibility of their systems
and the process expertise that EVG's team has demonstrated enable us to ramp
quickly and scale seamlessly. We look forward to leveraging this partnership
to continue to bring the advantages of 3D IC development capabilities to our
customers."

Commenting on today's news, EVG corporate technology development and IP director,
Markus Wimplinger, noted, "IME is one of the world's leading R&D centers
making significant inroads in 3D IC integration, particularly through its work
with the 3D Through Silicon Via Consortium. We are thrilled for the opportunity
to work closely with this important research institute, which is really taking
a lead to boost the research and development of 3D ICs on a global scale. This
partnership with IME represents another step forward in EVG's equipment becoming
the industry standard for 3D IC manufacturing and significantly expands our
reach and presence in the Asia-Pacific region."